SC cop who shot unarmed black man 8 times, indicted for murder

Elaine Barnett of North Charleston, looks over the memorial before a vigil conducted by civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton at the site of the death of Walter Scott in North Charleston, South Carolina, April 12, 2015. (Reuters/Randall Hill) / Reuters

The former North Charleston police officer whose killing of an unarmed black man was captured on camera in April, has been indicted for murder by a grand jury. Michael Slager will stand trial for shooting Walter Scott eight times during a traffic stop.

State Solicitor Scarlett Wilson made the announcement on Monday
morning, following the decision by the Charleston County grand
jury to charge Slager with murder. Defined as an unlawful killing
“with malice aforethought,” the crime carries a sentence
of 30 years to life in prison without parole. A trial date has
not been set.

It's not much to look at, but this is the Michael Slager
indictment for shooting Walter Scott as he was running away.
pic.twitter.com/SSDEqcDAkg

Patrolman Slager pulled Scott over for a broken taillight on
April 4. According to Slager’s initial statement, Scott had
attempted to flee on foot. He fought with Slager over a police
Taser and was shot in self-defense.

However, a cell phone video captured by passerby Feidin Santana
shows Slager firing eight rounds as Scott fled, then handcuffing
Scott at the scene as he succumbed to injuries.

The video shows Scott slapping at Slager’s hands, as several
objects fall to the ground. The officer's attorney said that
Scott had seized the Taser from Slager during the struggle.

Scott is then seen running away, while Slager draws his pistol
and fires seven times in rapid succession. After a pause, he
fires an eighth shot.

When Santana’s video was made public, North Charleston police
immediately dismissed Slager and placed him in protective
custody. By April 8, city authorities had announced a charge of
murder would be put before the grand jury.

“Without the video ... it would be difficult for us to
ascertain exactly what did occur,” North Charleston Mayor
Keith Summey said at a news conference. “We want to thank the
young person who came forward... because it has helped us resolve
the issue.”

Scott, 50, was engaged to be married and left behind four
children. He apparently owed child support payments, which some
family members said might have been the reason he tried to
escape. Scott had been arrested about 10 times, mostly for not
paying child support or for failing to show up for court
hearings, according to the Post and Courier.

Following the release of Santana’s video, the police also
published the dashboard camera footage from Slager’s car, which
showed Scott fleeing his vehicle.

Activists questioned whether Solicitor Wilson would prosecute the
case fairly, and called on the authorities to transfer the case
to another judicial circuit.

“The community doesn’t trust that at the end of her
prosecution, we’re going to see what we perceive to be
justice,” Thomas Dixon, a member of a human rights
coalition, told the Post and Courier in April. “She
has not given us a history of prosecution in these cases that
would earn our trust.”

While this indictment is a step in the right direction, it is
not the justice we need. Walter Scott being alive is that
justice.

Wilson refused to step aside and said she was confident Slager
would get a fair trial in Charleston County. This will be her
first murder case against an officer, the local news station WCSC
noted.

Speaking after the announcement, Scott’s family said they were
pleased with the indictment. The family’s attorney, Chris
Stewart, said that a civil lawsuit against Slager will be filed
in the next few months.